


Harry Potter and the Dopplegangers: Book One

by CandlesInTheSnow



Series: Harry Potter and the Dopplegangers: Book Series. [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Prankster!Harry, Smart!Harry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-05
Updated: 2014-04-14
Packaged: 2018-01-03 14:06:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1071343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CandlesInTheSnow/pseuds/CandlesInTheSnow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Also posted on my FF.Net account!)<br/>What if Harry Potter met Fred and George Weasley years before he found out he was a wizard? What if they didn't know he was Harry Potter until they helped him on Platform Nine and 3/4? How would Harry's first year at Hogwarts go with his best friends who were infamous third-year pranksters? Well, read and find out! First Book-UA.<br/>(No pairings in this book!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> Hello my lovely readers!  
> I've decided, now that I've got at least six chapters of this written and put up on FF.Net, that I'd put it up here too! Since I know that there are some who can't really get on FF.Net that well on mobile, and that this is much easier... So here you all go~!  
> Also, for those of you who are also reading my other story, Novam Faciem, I've almost got the next chapter of it done, so be on the lookout over the next couple of days for it!  
> Until then, my lovely readers~  
> ~Snow.
> 
> (I do not own Harry Potter, otherwise this would've been canon!)

Six year-old Harry Potter sat on a swing, swinging only a little, looking around, terrified that his cousin, Dudley Dursley, and Dudley’s gang, would find him in the nearly abandoned park.

Harry Potter was an orphaned boy, who lived with his Aunt and Uncle, Petunia and Vernon Dursley. He had been told that his parents had died in a car crash when he had been only one, so he had been given to his only living relatives.

Harry looked a lot different from his family.

Harry was small and skinny for his age, he had bright green, almond shaped eyes, and black hair that was a bit shaggy and very untamable. He often wore clothes that had once been worn by his cousin, but could no longer fit the larger boy. He also wore glasses that were taped at the nose piece, having often been broken by Dudley punching him in the face.

Harry often thought that it was unfair that he had to wear Dudley’s hand-me-downs, but didn’t complain, afraid of his Uncle.

Vernon Dursley was a large man with hardly any neck at all. He had a big, bushy mustache and he worked for a company that made drills that was called Grunnings.

Petunia Dursley was tall, thin, and had a long neck that she used to spy over the fences over at the neighbors. She had blonde hair, much like her son.

Dudley Dursley was a large boy, who had barely any neck like his father, but blonde hair like his mother. He was also a bully with a gang of his own, who loved to play the name Dudley called, Harry Hunting.

Harry often thought that Dudley was as stupid as he was large.

Sighing, Harry glanced around wearily again, the June sun pouring down on him from overhead. A faint smell of grass wafted through the air as a warm breeze rusted the leaves of trees nearby.

There were only a few people in the park today, like it was most days, a mother and her toddler daughter over by the sandbox, a teenage couple having a picnic under one of the trees.

And a set of what looked to be twins, both having flaming red hair and blue eyes, freckles across their faces.

And they were…

Walking towards him?

Blinking, Harry glanced at the twins again in surprise, finding them awfully close to him by now.

“Er… Hello?” Harry called out shyly.

“Hiya!” The twin on the left exclaimed cheerfully.

“It’s nice to meet you!” The twin on the right mimicked his brother’s cheerfulness.

“I’m Fred-”

“-And I’m George-”

“-And we were wondering-”

“-That since you were sitting here, looking really-”

“-Lonely, that if you’d-”

“-Like to come and play with us.” The finished together, leaving Harry feeling very confused.

“You want to play with me?” Harry asked in surprise, looking between the ginger-haried twins, who were both grinning.

“Why wouldn’t we?” The twin that Harry guessed was Fred, asked.

“Dudley.” Harry said quietly.

“Who?” The twins asked together, confused.

“Dudley, my cousin, he’s my age but he doesn’t like me very much, so he and his gang make sure others don’t play with me…” Harry said quietly. “And no one wants to mess with Dudley’s gang, so they usually leave me alone…”

“Well, we’re not from around here-” Fred started.

“-So we don’t know this Dudley kid, and so why-”

“-Should we be afraid of someone-”

“-We’ve never met? Besides, we want-”

“-To know if you want to play with us-”

“-So why should we have his permission?” The twins finished together again.

Harry stared at them in shock before a smile slowly started to creep onto his face.

“And you never did tell us your name.” George said.

“I’m Harry, just Harry.” Harry said, holding out a hand for the twins to shake.

“Well, just Harry.” Fred grinned, shaking his hand before letting go.

“Would you like to play with us?” George asked, shaking Harry’s hand as well.

Harry nodded eagerly, getting up from the swings.

“Tell us, Harry-”

“-Do you like pranks?”

Harry’s eyes lit up as he nodded again.

Identical Cheshire-cat grins broke out on Fred and George’s faces as they each slung an arm around Harry’s shoulders.

“Dear, dear Harry-”

“-We think this is going to be the start-”

“-Of a wonderful friendship.”

Harry simply grinned.

* * *

**~ FOUR SUMMERS LATER ~**

* * *

A now ten-almost-eleven year-old Harry Potter laughed as Fred and George recounted a few of their pranks on their elder brother Percy.

“That’s brilliant!” Harry laughed, hugging his stomach, sitting criss-crossed in their ‘triangle’, Fred on his left and George on his right.

“Thank you!” The twins coursed, grinning.

“Did you prank your cousin since we last saw you last week?” Fred asked eagerly, leaning forward toward Harry.

“A few times…” Harry smirked.

Ever since their meeting four years ago, Harry, Fred and George were the best of friends.

Fred and George spent most of their afternoons the one month that they were visiting their distant cousins with Harry, preferring his company over their ‘evil snot nosed twits that we have no relation to cousins’ and their siblings, ‘We see enough of them everyday!’.

Harry usually had his chores finished by the time the Dursley’s were up so all he really had to do was make breakfast and something cold for lunch, before he could retreat to the peace of the almost-always-empty park and away from his Aunt, Uncle and cousin, who never complained unless he was late to making dinner.

Today was the twins’ last day before they returned home where they would stay for the few weeks before they had to leave for their boarding school which they would stay until next summer, and the holidays.

“So do you know what school you’re going to?” George asked, an hour later, laying on his back, staring up at the clouds.

“Yeah… Aunt Petunia was upset when she had to change schools for me. Pleased though, at the same time… I’m going to a boarding school now too.” Harry sighed.

The twins glanced at him curiously. “Oh? What school?” Fred asked.

“St. Brutus’s SecureCenter for Incurably Criminal Boys.” Harry told them seriously, rolling his eyes, making the twins go into identical fits of laughter.

Harry grinned slightly, a heavy feeling in his heart. He hated having to lie to his best friends about where he was actually going to school, but if he told them, not only would he be breaking Wizarding Law, but how would they react to finding out he was a wizard?!

St. Brutus’s was just a cover up to tell the neighbors made by Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, Dudley thought the cover-up school story was hilarious, but Harry merely shrugged it off.

He didn’t really care, he’d miss Fred and George on their holidays, but their summers were almost always the best.

Fred, George and Harry had automatically gotten along those summers ago, and Gred and Forge had changed a small depressed Harry into a cheerful, playful, prankster(though Harry was still small).

Some days they would just sit and chat about different pranks they’ve played on their family, and some days they would play together, tag, kick the can, and other Muggle children games.

Sometimes they would plan new pranks together, and sometimes they’d just sit in a comfortable silence.

Whatever it was, they’d do it, together, and still be happy.

Although, not all was fun in games.

They’d had a few fights, what friends wouldn’t? But they’d always make up a day or two afterwards, giving each other time to cool off.

“It’s getting late.” Harry sighed, glancing at the sky, which was changing from a blue to an orangey-pink.

“It is. We’d probably best be going, or Mum will come find us… Again.” Fred sighed.

Harry smiled slightly; he had met Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, when they had come looking for their twin children, and he found them wonderful people.

Mr. Weasley was energetic and enthusiastic, while Mrs. Weasley was a bit more down-to-earth and stern, but a very caring a loving person.

Harry liked them both, he had also met their daughter Ginny, and their son Percy, their son who was Harry’s age stayed and played with his cousins, rather than go and see ‘the boy Fred and George never shut up about’.

“Aunt Petunia will want me home too…” Harry sighed, getting up and starting to brush the dead grass off of his pants.

Fred and George grumbled, but got up as well, dusting themselves off.

After a moment of silence they started to chat about what they thought the new school year was going to bring, and what kind of pranks they were planning on doing at their schools.

When they reached the gate to the park’s entrance they hugged each other before Fred and George started to jog down the path towards their cousins’ house, which was opposite of Harry’s Aunt and Uncle’s.

“See you next summer Harry!” Fred called, grinning as he waved, George mimicking his twin.

“Don’t forget to prank Dudley!” George hollered, making Harry laugh.

“Have fun you two! Tell everyone I said ‘Hi!’” Harry smiled, waving the twins off, waiting until they were out of sight before turning away and started towards his Aunt and Uncle’s house, sighing softly, already missing the twin doppelgangers.

Little did he know, he’d be seeing them again real soon.


	2. Hogwarts Express

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Harry Potter, writing this is just for the fun of it so please do not sue me.

Harry’s last few weeks at the Dursley’s weren’t the greatest.

Sure, they ignored him now, and Dudley was terrified of him, but it got lonely, and Harry didn’t dare to risk a prank on Dudley until after the school year, knowing how much trouble he’d be in if he pranked Dudley before school.

Ticking off a day to his wall calendar, Harry laid down on his bed, sighing.

He missed his best friends, he missed planning new pranks with Fred and George.

In the darkness of his bedroom, he saw the clock change another minute, and listened to the wind blow through the trees gently outside.

Harry had left the window ope on accout that Hedwig was out hunting.

Groaning, Harry rolled over and tried, he honestly did try to fall asleep, but he just couldn’t.

Tomorrow he’d be leaving the Dursley’s for Hogwarts. He’d be gone for the whole school year. He’d be learning _magic._

Harry had read through his school books, reading about potions that could change one’s hair color, eye color, and much more.

He hoped the use the hair-color one for a prank after he’d learnt how to brew potions properly, one of the classes he was looking forward to the most.

He honestly couldn’t wait to get to Hogwarts. Oh… The pranks he could pull with magic.

Harry grinned into his pillow at the thought, hearing a quiet hooting and a woosh of wings that signaled that Hedwig was back.

Giving up on sleeping as the clock on his bedside table reached two in the morning, Harry quietly got out of bed and made his way over to the snowy owl, reaching out and gently started to stroke her feathers.

“Hey girl…” He murmured quietly, getting an affectionate nip on the tip of his finger.

“Excited? I know I am.” Harry smiled softly, looking out the window, smelling the faint smell of wet grass.

One of the neighbors must have watered their grass overnight again…

‘Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia won’t be pleased with that…’ Harry thought to himself as he continued to stroke Hedwig’s feathers, a soft hoot coming from the owl.

“I’m going to miss my friends though…” Harry smiled sadly. “Their names are Fred and George Weasley… They like… No… They love pranking people, their older brother Percy, who is a bit uptight, the most… I wonder how they’d react if they found out I was a wizard… They’d probably think magic would be a great idea to use to prank someone… Or they’d hate me… I can’t tell them anyways. It would be breaking the Wizarding Law…” Harry sighed, glancing out the window again.

He sat there in silence, stroking Hedwig for a moment more before watching her fly off into the night once more.

Harry crawled into bed, feeling more tired than ever as he closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Much to his dismay Harry woke early again, the sun was starting to rise.

Silently he got up, glancing over at Hedwig’s cadge he found her asleep with her head tucked under her wing.

Quietly so that the Dursley’s wouldn’t hear him, Harry grabbed a set of fresh clothes and a towel and made his way down the hallway to the bathroom.

After taking a quick shower, Harry jogged down the stairs, drying his messy hair quickly. After putting his towel and dirty clothes into the hamper, he made his way into the kitchen and started to make breakfast.

It was another half-hour before Aunt Petunia, who was usually the first one up, had walked into the kitchen and looked at her nephew in surprise, usually having to wake him up early.

“Good Morning Aunt Petunia, would you care for some eggs? Toast? Bacon?” Harry asked, smiling at his Aunt.

Aunt Petunia blinked at him owlishly, but nodded slowly, lips starting to press into a thin line as she nodded slowly, moving to sit at the table.

“Did you sleep well?” Harry asked, getting his Aunt a plate of eggs, bacon and toast, setting it in front of her before getting her a glass of orange juice.

“Fairly.” Aunt Petunia said slowly, picking up her fork as she watched her nephew suspiciously as he set the stove’s heating to low and started to get himself his own breakfast.

“That’s good.” Harry said cheerfully, setting his plate at the table and got up to start the water for coffee for his Uncle.

Dudley came down not long after Harry had finished his breakfast, Petunia eating her own.

He froze when he saw Harry and made a sound that sounded an awful lot like a mouse being sat on.

“Good morning Dudley.” Harry said politely to his cousin, setting a plate down for the larger boy, getting a glass of orange juice for his cousin.

It wasn’t long before Vernon was downstairs and eating breakfast as well.

An hour later Harry found himself in the back of Vernon’s car, sitting next to Dudley, Hedwig in her cage was sitting on his lap. His trunk full of his schoolbooks and everything magical of his, along with a few sets of Muggle clothing.

Although, there was a bag full of magical money in his pocket along with his wand.

It took a shorter amount of time than Harry expected to get to King’s Cross station.

“What was the platform number again?” Uncle Vernon smirked, putting Harry’s things onto a trolley and pushed it into the station.

“Platform Nine and Three Quarters.” Harry said, frowning slightly as they made their way over to platforms Nine and Ten.

“Doesn’t look like they’ve built it yet.” Vernon smirked wickedly. “Well… We’ll see you next summer.” With that, he and Dudley left, laughing. Only Aunt Petunia lingered.

Harry was feeling the panic rise in his chest, looking up at his Aunt, wondering what she wanted.

“Walk straight into the barrier between platforms Nine and Ten and you’ll find Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Best do it at a run if you’re nervous, I always did.” Aunt Petunia said quickly, sniffing before walking away swiftly after her husband and son.

Harry’s jaw dropped slightly but he called after her. “T-Thank you! Aunt Petunia!”

Turning, he stared at the barrier, which looked very, very solid to him.

Glancing around once he took a deep breath before he started to run at the barrier.

It was getting closer.

And closer.

It was right there.

Closing his eyes Harry waited for the crash, and then opened them when it didn’t come.

He stopped in shock, his jaw dropping.

There, nestled between what was a mix of steam and the morning’s mist, sat a deep scarlet steam engine.

Harry’s eyes light up as he eagerly pushed his trolley over towards one of the cars that were pulled by the engine, hoping to find a compartment to himself.

He looked around eagerly as he stopped in front of an empty car, grabbing Hedwig and hurried into the car and found an empty compartment, putting Hedwig up in one of the racks he hurried back to grab his trunk.

After trying, and failing several times to lift his trunk, only managing to drop it on his foot several times.

“Oi, you there, do you need help?” Harry heard a familiar voice call out to him.

“Yes please!”

Turning around Harry saw none other than George Weasley, both of them froze, staring at each other in shock.

“ _Harry?_ ” Harry grinned widely at the shocked George.

“Hello Gred, fancy seeing you here.” Harry said in a joking tone, trying to lift his trunk off of his foot.

“Oh, here, let me help you.” George hurried over to Harry and helped him get the trunk off of the black-haired boy’s foot.

“Thanks.” Harry gasped quietly, rubbing the top of his foot.

“No problem… So you’re a wizard Harry?” George looked at the younger in surprise.

Harry laughed. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

George grinned. “Wait until Fred finds out… Oh yeah, how’d you like to stay in the same train compartment as him and I?”

“Yes please!” Harry beamed at George, “Maybe you could tell me a few of your magic prank stories too?”

“How’d you know…” George stared at Harry in surprise once more.

Harry snorted. “You two are not only wizards, but pranksters. I’m wouldn’t be surprised if I heard more than a few stories of you two causing trouble with magic.”

George laughed again and ruffled Harry’s already messy hair, earning an unhappy squawk from Harry.

“Oi! Fred! Guess who decided to go to school with us!” George hollered over to his twin, who had been talking to the twin’s friend, Lee Jordan.

Fred’s eyes bulged at the sight of Harry before a grin spread across the other Weasley’s face.

“Harry!” Fred nearly ran over and hugged Harry tightly, letting out a quiet whoop of joy.

“Oi! That’s my ear Fred!” Harry winced, hearing George and the twins’ friend laughing.

“Sorry.” Fred had the decency to look sheepish as he gave Harry a more gentle hug.

“Hey, Fred, Lee, how’d you feel about Harry staying in our compartment?” George asked.

“I’m fine with it.” Fred agreed quickly. “It’d be great!”

“I’m alright with it.” Lee grinned at Harry, hold his hand out to the ruffled younger boy, a dreadlock falling into his face. “Lee Jordon, you must be Harry, the twin’s have told me so much about you.”

Harry shook Lee’s hand, smiling at him. “I’ve heard a few things about you too… Harry, Harry Potter.”

Harry blinked in surprise as Lee, Fred and George stared at him in pure shock, their jaws dropped. “W-What?”

“Harry Potter?” Fred was the first to get his voice back. “The Harry Potter? The Boy Who Lived?”

Harry nodded before saying quickly. “I never knew about my parents, I was told they died in a car crash when I was young and I was never told about magic until Hagrid came and got me from the Dursley’s.”

Fred and George had stopped gaping at him, but Lee was still staring in surprise.

“It doesn’t matter-”

“-Who you are-”

“-Famous or not you’re-”

“-Still our best-”

“-Friend in the world.” The twins finished together, throwing a arm each over Harry’s shoulders.

“No offence, Lee.” George added, Lee just laughed.

“I don’t mind, you’ve known each other longer, now c’mon, or we’re going to miss the train.”

Fred and George removed their arms from Harry’s shoulders quickly and each grabbed an end of Harry’s trunk.

Harry followed Fred and George into the train and down the hallway, talking to Lee, learning more about the other boy, carrying Hedwig’s cage after retrieving it from the compartment he was going to use.

Together the twins manage to put Harry’s trunk on the rack next to theirs and they apologized to Harry, saying they had to go say goodbye to their mother and sister and they slipped out of the compartment.

“So what house do you think you’re going to be in?” Lee asked Harry curiously.

Harry shrugged. “I don’t know… I don’t know what houses, or house, my parents were in when they were at Hogwarts…”

“The twins and I are in Gryffindor.” Lee told Harry.

They continued to talk until the twins returned. “Hope he didn’t bore you to death, Harry.” Fred joked, sitting on Harry’s left, George taking his place on Harry’s right side.

“No, actually, he was telling me more about Quidditch” Harry told them, relaxing more with the twins by his side.

 “Ah. Quidditch. The best sport in history!” George beamed at Lee.

“Georgie and I are on the team, Beaters.” Fred told Harry.

They continued to talk about Q and about their summers as the train pulled out of the station and through the town.

“So, any accidental magic that we should know about?” Fred asked Harry.

Harry grinned at Fred. “I turned my teacher’s hair blue when I was six, I regrew my hair when I was eight, oh, and on my cousin’s birthday, I vanished a pane of glass and accidentally set a snake on him.”

Lee, Fred and George started to roar with laughter.

“How’d you set a _snake_ on him?” Lee asked, calming down enough.

“I don’t really know… One minute we were talking about Brazil and the next my cousin pushed me out of the way to see the snake and the glass just vanished… The snake told me thank you afterwards though…” Harry explained.

“You can talk to snakes?!” Fred and George gaped at Harry, making the smaller boy uncomfortable.

“Er… Yeah… Yeah I guess so…” Harry looked between the three others. “Can a… Can a lot of others do it?”

Fred shook his head. “No, you’re probably-”

“-The first in-”

“-A very, very long time.” The twins coursed in awe.

“It’s seen as a dark magic.” Lee added his two knuts.

“Dark magic?” Harry asked worriedly.

Sensing their best friend’s worry, Fred and George wrapped an arm around Harry’s shoulders.

“Don’t worry, Ickle Harrykins-”

“-We won’t let others think-”

“-That you’re dark, or something.”

“Although-”

“-If anyone says anything-”

“We’ll help you prank them!” The twins grinned, making Harry feel more relaxed.

“Thanks guys.”

They spent the next hour talking to each other when an old witch opened their compartment door.

“Anything off the trolley dears?” Harry and Lee nodded eagerly, getting up.

Harry hurried over, looking at the various sweets that he never knew existed.

Sugar quills, chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott’s every flavor beans.

Harry bought a lot of the candy, having decided to try everything.

He happily shared his candy with Lee, Fred and George.

The next half-hour was filled with all of them eating sweets, Fred, George and Lee telling Harry about the different sweets.

George wrinkled his nose at a Bertie Bott’s bean. “I got a boogie flavored one once.” He told Harry, nibbling the end of one.

Harry loved the sweets. Having gotten several different kinds of Botts. Liver, Pepper, Sea Salt, Chocolate, Spinach, Earwax.

His favorite by far was the Chocolate Frogs. He had been shocked when the frog had left out of the package after he opened it.

“It’s a spell.” Lee told him, “It’s the cards you want, almost everyone has a collection, you should start one yourself.”

Harry did. He had gotten Dumbledore. “So _this_ is what he looks like!” And Merlin, Morgana, and many other famous witches and wizards.

He traded with Fred, George and Lee, laughing while eating Pumpkin Pastels and Licorice Wands.

They changed into their robes as the sun started to set, Harry starting to get nervous.

“How do they sort us into houses?” He asked the twins and Lee.

“You’ve just got to try on the Sorting Hat, don’t tell our brother Ron though, I’ve been going on about wrestling a troll just to trick him.” Fred explained to Harry as the train started to slow and finally stopped.

“Leave it.” George told Harry as he reached for Hedwig. “Someone will come and get our stuff, c’mon, Hagrid’s going to take you across the lake.”

Harry followed the twins and Lee out of the compartment and out of the car, hearing a familiar voice calling out, “First ‘ears! First ‘ears over ‘ere please!”

“Hello Hagrid.” The twins called cheerfully to the giant man.

“Hello there you two, I see ya’ve met young Mr. Potter.” Hagrid greeted them with a smile.

“More like you met him!” Fred replied cheerfully. “We’ll tell you another time, shouldn’t you be getting to the boats?”

Hagrid nodded and placed a giant hand on Harry’s shoulder, leading him towards the boats, continuing to call for new years as they boarded the boats.

“Four to a boat! Everyone in? Alright, forward!”


	3. The Sorting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Harry Potter.

To say that Hogwarts was breathtaking was an understatement in Harry’s opinion.

When the boats rounded a corner in the lake and the first years caught sight of Hogwarts many of them gasped, seeing the tall, proud castle with it’s many towers and wide grassy lawns, a hut sat at the edge of the forest.

Harry’s heart hammered in his chest as he took in the sight of the castle, his eyes widening and his breath catching in his throat.

_This_ was going to be his home until the summer..?!

It suddenly and finally hit Harry that all… That all this was truly real.

After the boats docked Hagrid led them up the grassy lawn towards giant wooden double doors and opened a door, letting the first years through first.

Inside the Entrance Hall was a tall woman with dark brown hair that was starting to turn grey and her eyes seemed similar to a cat watching it’s prey as she watched them walk in.

“’Ere’s the first years, Professor.” Hagrid said, smiling behind his large, bushy beard, moving past the Professor he slipped into the Great Hall.

“I am Professor McGonagall,” The woman started, startling most of the first years, making a boy with hair as red as Fred’s and George’s(Harry guessed this was their younger brother Ronald) jump at least a foot in the air.

“In a moment, you’ll each be sorted into your houses, while you’re here at Hogwarts, your houses will be like your family, your triumphs will gain you points, while any rule-breaking will lose you house points.”

Harry’s thought on his Professor was that she wasn’t the kind of woman you wanted to mess with.

“Now, the sorting is about to begin...” Professor McGonagall said in a brisk tone. “So you lot might smarten yourselves up.” She eyed a round-faced boy who’s cloak was hooked on his ear and then glanced at Harry.

Harry saw something flash in her eyes, though he couldn’t tell what it was, and before he got a better look Professor McGonagall turned away and opened the doors.

A line formed behind the Professor, Harry standing behind a sandy-haired boy who was in the same boat as his on the ride over.

The first years followed Professor McGonagall into the Great Hall, many of the first years gasped at seeing the ceiling, which showed the sky outside, much to Harry’s amazement.

“It’s bewitched to look like the night sky, I read all about it in, Hogwarts: A History.” He heard a girl murmur behind him, making him recall the same paragraph in the book he had thoroughly read as well.

A short man sat a old hat on a stool above where the teacher’s sat.

The hall was silent for a moment as Professor McGonagall signaled them to stop, and she moved to pick up a scroll of parchment as a hole in the brim opened up, and the Hogwarts Sorting Hat began to sing.

(Look up the First year song!)

Applause filled the whole hall, coming from each and every table as the Sorting Hat fell silent.

“So you just have to put the hat on… I’m going to kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling trolls.” Harry heard someone grumble from behind him, and he immediately knew it must have been Fred and George’s younger brother that he had never met, Ronald.

“When I call out your name, you will come up here, sit on the stool, and try on the hat to be sorted.” Clearing her throat, Professor McGonagall started calling out names.

Zoning her out for a moment Harry glanced around the hall.

There was a table who were wearing yellow and black ties were on the right, a table wearing blue and black ties on the left, a table wearing green and silver ties on the far right, and the final table were wearing gold and scarlet red ties and… And Fred and George were sitting at that table!

Harry saw them staring at the hat, complete and full attention on it.

Suddenly Harry felt a bit queasy, what if he ended up in a different house than Fred and George? Ravenclaw didn’t seem too bad, in Harry’s opinion, but while he was planning on studying t the best of his abilities, he didn’t want to be the type to study all year round, as Fred and George had told him that most Ravenclaws were like that.

While Hufflepuff didn’t seem too bad as well, but Harry figured he wouldn’t be in there, his temper if provoked was very, very nasty, and he couldn’t hold it very well.

Harry shuddered to think about what would happen to their friendship if he was put in _Slytherin._

Feeling like he was about to throw up, Harry turned his attention back to Professor McGonagall and the sorting as “McDougal, Morag!” Became a Slytherin.

“Potter, Harry!” McGonagall called his name.

Whispers immediately began to fill the hall.

“Potter? Did she say Potter?”

“Harry Potter? As in _the_ Harry Potter?”

Gulping quietly, Harry walked over to the stool on shaky legs and sat down, his vision filled with black a moment later when the hat was placed on his head, and he heard a voice, as if it was whispering into his ear.

“ _Oh, you’re going to be difficult, a great mind, you have, and talent, much talent… Brains like your mother, Potter, yet a prankster streak like your father, yes… Where to put you…”_

The Hat fell silent as Harry took a shaky breath.

“ _You have plenty of courage... Yet you’re afraid of being separated from your friends, the Weasley’s huh… Well, it seems like they’ll be able to help you as you grow, Potter._

_“So it better be… GRYFFINDOR!”_ The Hat shouted the name, and Harry felt a grin on his face as the hat was taken off of his head.

The whole of Gryffindor table were standing up, applauding him as he moved to join them, over the noise he could hear the twins yelling. “We’ve got Potter! We’ve got Potter!”

Harry felt people from the Gryffindor table clapping him on the back as he moved to sit in his normal spot, much to almost everyone who knew Fred and George, between th twins, Fred on his left as usual, and George on his right.

The twins threw their arms over his shoulders and beamed down at him.

“’Ello, Perce.” Harry greeted the shocked Percy Weasley.

“Harry?” Percy Weasley’s glasses nearly slipped off the end of his nose as he gawked at the smaller boy.

Harry nodded cheerfully and looked back at the Sorting Hat as “Weasley, Ronald!” Sat on it, noticing that almost immediately Ron was sorted into Gryffindor.

It seemed, to Harry, that some people took longer to sort, while some, like a “Malfoy, Draco!” A boy with pale, almost white hair and a sneer. Got sorted almost instantly.

Harry was really starting to feel hungry, now, rubbing his stomach he watched as the last person got sorted, and heard Ron making a noise of complaint as a tall man, with silvery long hair and beard, that sat in the middle of the Teacher’s tables, stood up.

“First, I’d like to say, for new students. Welcome to Hogwarts! For older students. Welcome back! I have some announcements to make, but those we’ll save for after the feast, so, Nibble! Odd and Tweak!” With that, the Headmaster sat down as a few people applauded.

“Is he mad?” Harry asked, a bit shocked, staring strangely at Dumbledore.

“Mad?” Percy asked, having almost gotten over his shock of seeing Harry. Blinking he said, “Perhaps he is a bit…” Percy frowned before nodding. “He is a bit mad, but the best ones are… Would you like some potatoes, Harry?”

Harry jumped slightly in shock, looking down to see the once empty gold plates and goblets full of all different kinds of food and drinks.

Eyes gleaming, Harry started to pile foods on his plate, listening in and out of Fred and George’s conversations, George had started to talk to Lee Jordan whilst Fred was talking a bit to his brother Ron.

A scream filled the hall, as a first year girl pointed at several shapes that were floating through the walls, obviously deep in conversations with each other.

Chuckles came from several of the older years. “What… Who are they?” Harry asked, his eyes wide and on the white, transparent things, which he now could make out to be people.

“Hogwarts ghosts.” Fred told him cheerfully, as one of the ghosts moved to sit next to Ron, making the boy uncomfortable.

“Hello Sir Nicholas.” Percy greeted the ghost, making Ron look at the ghost-man, who was wearing rather older style clothes and a ruffle on his neck.

“Hello Percy, have a nice summer?” Nick smiled at the prefect.

“Yes, yes, it was rather charming.”

“Nicholas? I’ve heard of you!” Ron exclaimed, “You’re Nearly Headless Nick!”

The ghost in the ruffle frowned, as a bushy brown-haired girl asked curiously. “Nearly Headless? How can you be _nearly_ headless?”

“Like this.” Nick said a bit gruffly, grabbing a few of his curls he pulled on his neck.

Harry quickly looked away, feeling queasy as he stared down at his plate while a couple of the other first years in their house paled.

Fred decided then to start to talk to Harry as they ate, while the girl, Hermione, started to talk to Percy about classes. “Oh I just can’t wait to start Transfiguration.”

After desserts, which Harry had eaten quite a bit of, after feeling better after talking to Fred about different classes that would help with their pranks, like Potions and Transfiguration, and Charms.

Dumbledore stood up once again and the hall fell silent almost immediately.

“Now that we’ve all been fed and watered, I have a few announcements to make. First, the caretaker Mr. Filch would like me to remind you, that there is a list in his office containing items that are not allowed in Hogwarts, and that dueling in the corridors is worthy of detention.

“And Madam Hooch tells me that those of you, who are interested in joining you houses’ Qui, to contact her or the Head of your houses’ team, and you will find out the times.

“Also, I must remind you, and tell you, that  the Dark Forest is out of bounds, to everyone.”

Harry swore he saw Dumbledore’s eyes twinkling as he looked down at the twins, and at him for a brief moment before the Headmaster continued.

“And last, but not least, the Third Floor corridor is out of bounds, to those who do not wish to die a very painful death.”

A few people laughed, but Harry shared baffled looks with the twins, and saw Percy frowning up at Dumbledore.

“Now, I’m sure you all are tired, and wish to go to bed, and are looking forward to your classes tomorrow, but before I can send you off, we must sing the Hogwarts School Song!”

With that, Dumbledore waved his wand and a ribbon shot out, immediately forming words.

Waving his wand the whole school started to sing.

(Find it in the book, I've gotten this story taken down once, I'm not risking it again, sorry!)

Different people sang to different tunes, and the Weasley twins had started singing to an old, funeral song. Harry hesitated on joining them until they threw their arms around his shoulders and grinned down at him, he grinned back up at them as he joined in.

Dumbledore smiled cheerfully as they sang, being the last one to finish.

“Now! Off you trot!” Dumbledore said cheerfully, and everyone stood up.

“First years! Follow me please!” Percy immediately took command, and the Gryffindor first years shuffled after their prefect, Fred and George tagging along beside Harry as they made their way into the Great Hall and towards the stairs.

“Be careful of the stairs, they like to move.” Percy called behind.

“Is that portrait moving?!” A boy from Harry’s year asked, making Harry look at the portraits curiously, the boy, whose name was… Dean, yeah, Dean, was pointing at the portraits, who waved at them, several calling “Hello!”.

“They are indeed.” Percy said, smiling, and started to talk about several different ways to make the portraits move as they walked up the stairs.

Fred and George ignored Percy and started talking to Harry, pointing out several different portraits, telling him the ones who were fairly nice and would help him find his classes if he ever got lost, and the ones to avoid, who’d only want to cause him trouble.

They quietly pointed out secret passageways through the school as well.

Percy stopped outside of a portrait of a fat lady who was wearing pink.

“Password?” She asked, her tone surprisingly deep.

“Dragonhide.” Percy told the Fat Lady, who nodded and swung open, showing a passageway into what looked to be a room, Percy went in first and the first years followed, Fred and George tagging along behind Harry.

“Boy dormitories on the left and up the staircase, girls, the same on your right.” Percy told them. “Wait for someone to help you to the Great Hall tomorrow morning.” He told them before he went up the boy’s staircase.

The first years glanced at each other before heading up to their own dormitories, Fred and George each quickly hugged Harry and bid him goodnight before they headed to their own, yawning.

Harry followed Dean and Seamus, or at least that was what he was certain was the sandy-haired boy’s name, while Neville and a scowling Ron, who witnessed Fred and George hugging Harry and telling him goodnight and hadn’t noticed Ron, followed him.

Harry noticed his trunk at the foot of one of the beds, and he smiled sleepily, changing into his pajamas, he told the other boys goodnight before he crawled into his four-poster bed and quickly fell into a dreamless sleep.


	4. Classes (Part One)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own, so please don't sue!

When Harry awoke the next morning, he glanced out the window, noticing that the sun was barely peeking over the horizon.

Groaning quietly, as not to alert the others that he was up, or wake them up, he quietly crawled out of bed. Opening his trunk as quietly as he could, he pulled out a set of robes and his toiletries, and made his way to the bathroom. Taking a shower helped wake him up more.

Stepping out of the shower Harry quickly dried himself and his hair, brushing it, but not bothering to even attempt to flatten it, he brushed his teeth. Dressing quickly he cleaned his glasses before walking out of the bathroom.

Glancing around, he saw that his year-mates were still asleep. Smiling a bit amusedly he glanced out the window, seeing that the sun had risen a bit. Glancing at one of his year-mate’s clock, he saw that it was just after six in the morning.

Walking over to his trunk, he opened it and pulled out his school bag and books, not certain which ones he’d need today, he closed his trunk.

Harry walked silently over to the door to their dorm and pulled it open, stepping out onto the staircase he pulled it shut silently behind himself and made his way downstairs.

Seeing Percy already up and awake, he smiled at the red-head and sat down into one of the chairs near the fireplace, across from Percy.

“Good morning Perce.” Harry greeted him.

“Good morning Harry.” Percy smiled back at Harry. “Excited for your first day?” He asked, looking down and seeing Harry’s full bag.

Harry nodded eagerly, noticing Percy’s gaze he followed it and smiled sheepishly. “I didn’t know what I’d need today.” He admitted.

Percy chuckled slightly. “It’s quite alright. The teachers sometimes swap class times, so you can’t really be sure until Professor McGonagall gives you your time table.”

They talked for a little while, before Percy had to go patrol the corridors for other house first-years, knowing that quite a few of them got up early on the first day.

Pulling his potion’s book out of his bag, Harry settled himself deeper into the comfortable armchair, waiting for the twins to get up and help him find his way down to the Great Hall.

Not fifteen minutes later the twins were clambering down the stairs, yawning and rubbing their eyes.

Harry glanced up, a grin splitting across his face before he could even stop it. “Good morning gentlemen!” He called cheerfully to the twins, closing his Potion’s book and putting it back into his bag as he stood up.

“Good-” Fred started, yawning.

“-Morning-” George continued, blinking sleepily as the twins made their way over to Harry and tiredly slung their arms around his shoulders.

“-Harry.” They finished together, grinning down at the smaller boy.

“Sleep well?” Fred asked, as he and George led Harry over to the portrait hole. Swinging the portrait of the Fat Lady open as Harry replied.

“Shockingly well. Got up early again though. Bad habit, I guess.” Harry admitted a bit sheepishly. “How about you two?”

“We slept-” Fred started, as they started down the hallway.

“-Pretty well, except-” George continued.

“-Lee’s snoring-”

“-Kept us awake for a while-”

“-Last night.” They finished together, leading Harry down the staircases.

They chatted together about different classes that Harry would be taking in his first year, such as Astronomy, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Defense Against The Dark Arts, Herbology, History of Magic, which, according to the twins, was taught by a ghost named Binns, and finally, Flying. Which Harry was nervous about.

The twins told him that they were taking Care of Magical Creatures, and while Fred was taking Study of Ancient Runes, George was taking Arithmancy. All three classes which were offered during their third year.

Making their way over to the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, Harry saw that a couple people were already there, one of them being the bushy-haired girl in his year, who had a book out that she was reading while she was eating.

Fred, George and Harry sat a few spots away from her, sitting in their usual formation, Fred on the left, Harry in the middle, and George on the right. The twins immediately engaging into conversation with a girl who was on the Quidditch team with them last year named Angelina Johnson.

As he listened to the twins talk, after politely introducing himself to A, Harry helped himself to Hash-Browns, Sausage, Bacon, Pancakes, Eggs and a glass of Pumpkin juice, which he found that he happily liked.

As the time progressed and more students filled the Hall, Harry watched as a couple of teachers started handing out pieces of parchment to their students. Professor McGonagall was amongst them, but at her own house table.

She smiled slightly as she gave Harry his time-table, after tapping an empty piece of parchment with her wand, before giving Fred and George theirs.

“What’d you get?” Fred as curiously, peering over Harry’s shoulder and down at the piece of parchment in the black-haired boy’s hands.

“Monday, Double Charms with the Ravenclaws, Herbology with the Hufflepuffs, and Double History of Magic with the Slytherins.” Harry told him and George, who had paused mid-conversation with Angelina.

“One of the most boring subjects with the worst house.” Fred commented, before looking down at his own time –table.

“What about you?” Harry asked curiously, attempting and failing to look over Fred’s shoulder.

“Double Potions with the Hufflepuffs, Care of Magical Creatures with the Ravenclaws, Double Transfiguration with the Slytherins, Defense Against The Dark Arts with the Ravenclaws again, wonder what this year’s teacher will be like…” Fred muttered the last part to himself.

“I’ve got the same as Freddie, but Arithmancy instead of Care of Magical Creatures.” George said, peering above Harry and over at his twins’ time-table.

“You’ve got more classes than me.” Harry said, curiously.

“We’re older than you, IckleHarrykins.” The twins chorused with identical grins.

Shortly afterwards they finished their breakfast and went their separate ways with calls of “Good luck!” And, “Have a good first day!”

After finding his way to the Charms classroom, thanks to the help of a portrait of a fifteenth century witch named Anabelle, who was a very kind, young witch dressed in blue.

Harry glanced around the classroom, noticing that he was one of the first ones there. The other ones there were a couple of Ravenclaws and the bushy-haired girl from Gryffindor, who was once again reading a book. Deciding to sit next to her, he made his way over to her.

“Can I sit here?” Harry asked, smiling politely at the girl, who looked up at him, startled.

He watched as her eyes flicked upwards and saw his scar, gasping, the girl dropped her book, the large Charms book making a rather loud ‘THUD’ as it hit the desk.

“You’re Harry Potter!” The girl gaped at him. Harry nodded sheepishly. “I’ve read all about you!”

“You have?” Harry asked, surprised, taking a seat next to the girl.

She nodded eagerly. “I’m Hermione Granger by the way.” Hermione said, holding her hand out, which Harry took and they shook hands.

“Harry Potter, but you already know that.” Harry grinned at her, making Hermione chuckle slightly.

“I wonder what Charms are going to be like.” Harry said aloud, which started a conversation between him and Hermione, which lasted while the rest of the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors arrived.

Harry watched as Ron shuffled in, talking to Dean and Seamus, and sat down with them, near the back, rather than towards the front where Hermione and Harry were sitting.

It wasn’t long after that tiny Professor Flitwick walked in, and started his class with role-call.

When he reached Harry’s name he gave a rather strange squeak and had toppled off of his stack of books on his chair.

Most of the class laughed while Hermione and Harry had jumped up, Hermione with a screech of, “Are you alright? Professor?!” While Harry had hurried around the desk and over to Professor Flitwick and helped the rather flustered man up.

Harry was a bit disappointed that they were only going to be practicing wand movements for a while, rather than actual Charms themselves, but he understood why.

After Charms had finished, he and Hermione talked all the way down to Herbology about different things, classes, books, Potions, Charms, their younger years, where they lived in England, favorite things and such.

It was with the help of another portrait that they had made their way down to the Entrance Hall without any problems.

“Those two must know a lot about Hogwarts.” Hermione said, amazed as the portrait of a fat, balding wizard in bright, purple robes waved them off with a cheery grin.

“They do.” Harry grinned at her, and started to tell her more about his twins as they made their way down to the greenhouses.

Herbology was a very dirty and earthy subject, was Harry’s opinion as the first years made their way back up to the castle for a quick shower before lunch and their break afterwards.

Hopping over a step Fred and George had told him trapped a lot of students, Harry chatted happily with Hermione until they parted ways inside of Gryffindor tower to shower and change.

Harry was disappointed when he didn’t see Fred and George at lunch, nor during his break afterwards, but hoped that he saw them during dinner.

Harry and Hermione spent their break time going over their homework Professor Flitwick gave them, hurrying through the hallways they barely made it to their next and final class of the day.

History of Magic, in Harry’s opinion, was the most boring subject so far.

It was taught by a ghost named Binns, who had the dullest voice Harry had ever heard in his eleven years of life.

It took a lot for Harry and Hermione not to fall asleep, like the rest of the class had, and to scribble notes when they had their wits about them enough to do so.

The end of the class brought great relief to everyone, which was followed by outrage on quite a few people’s parts on their homework.

“Five feet of parchment!” Ron could still be heard complaining an hour later, “On the history of Goblins! Honestly!”

Harry sighed and shook his head, sitting down at the Gryffindor table as Dinner was being served, Hermione sitting across from him.

Harry was just about to ask Hermione something when she jumped, as two identical redheads seemed to suddenly appear behind Harry and threw their arms around his shoulders.

It was thanks to summers of having the twins sudden pop up from somewhere that kept Harry from jumping.

“Sorry about-” One of the twins started, sitting down on Harry’s left.

“-Missing lunch-” The second twin continued, sitting on Harry’s right, and grabbed a bowl of stew.

“-Harry.” The first twin finished as he pulled a plate of lamb chops to him. “Care of Magical creatures took way to long, one of the creatures we were learning about escaped, and he-” Fred jerked a thumb at George, “-Showed up and laughed practically the whole time the damn Bundimun chased me!” Fred grumbled.

George snorted into his pumpkin juice at the reminder. “It was hilarious.” He told Harry.

Harry grinned slightly at George before patting Fred’s back as the older twin sulked.

Noticing Hermione’s surprised, and startled, yet curious and weary, stare, Harry smiled reassuringly at her.

“Fred, George, this is Hermione, she’s in my year.” Harry introduced them.

“George Weasley.” Fred said, immediately cheering up, holding his hand out to Hermione.

“Fred Weasley.” George played along, grinning at Hermione, holding his hand out ot her as well.

She shook their hands, looking at the twins more curiously now.

“Fred, George, don’t confuse her.” Harry scolded them, before pointing at Fred then at George. “Fred and George. Not the other way around.” He told Hermione, sending the twins into identical pouts.

“Aww… Harry-” Fred whined.

“-Why must you spoil our fun?” George continued in the same whiny tone.

“Because she’s my friend.” Harry shrugged, startling Hermione yet again.

“I’m… Your friend?” She asked hesitantly.

“Of course you are.” Harry told her firmly, smiling at her.

She smiled widely back, and soon the four started chatting to one another about their day and how their classes went.

Two hours later and Professor Flitwick’s homework finished, and half of Professor Sprout’s, Harry and Hermione had decided that they would go to the library during the break the next day to work on Professor Binn’s homework on Goblins, found Harry bidding Hermione goodnight, before hugging the twins and telling them goodnight as well, and he trotted up the stairs and to the dormitory, changing into his set of pajama’s, Harry crawled into bed, his head swarming with all the new things he had learned today, and his excitement about what the next day would bring.

Grinning widely, Harry turned onto his side and looked out the window, his eyelids starting to droop.

Tomorrow, was going to be fun.


	5. Classes (Part Two)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own! Just writing this for fun!

The week passed by quickly for Harry, and his classes were amazing, besides A History of Magic, of course.

Before Harry knew it, it was Thursday, he had his Astronomy class just the night before on the tallest tower in Hogwarts. He was amazed by all the stars and their names, they constellations that they made up in the sky.

He and Hermione had skipped their break and went to the library, Hermione checking out books for their first Transfiguration class that morning, while Harry was checking out as many books on Astronomy as he could.

Their first Transfiguration class confirmed Harry’s belief that Professor McGonagall wasn’t a person to cross, and he was disappointed along with Hermione over the fact that they wouldn’t be doing anything, like transfiguring their desks into pigs, like their Professor had to show them an example of what they would be learning in their later years.

They spent most of the class trying to turn matchsticks into needles.

Harry and Hermione were the only ones at the end of the class who had made any improvement on their buttons, as Professor McGonagall showed the class afterwards, pointing out how their matchsticks had turned long and pointy, and how Harry’s had even turned a bit silver, but stayed wood rather than turning into metal.

She had given Harry and Hermione one of her rare smiles before telling the class to continuing practicing and gave them an assignment as homework.

Harry had tried making friends with Ron, his twin’s younger brother, he really had, inviting Ron to sit with him and Hermione in the armchairs by the fire at night, trying to discuss homework and classes with him, but Ron would usually end up scowling at him before stalking off to find Seamus and Dean.

Harry got along well with Seamus and Dean, even getting into a deep discussion with Dean over soccer, mentally thanking the fact that Uncle Vernon and Dudley loved watching soccer.

Harry had even made a friend in Ernie McMillan, a boy in their year who was in Hufflepuff, and had swapped a few chocolate cards with the cheery, rather friendly boy.

Even Neville Longbottom, a boy in their year in Gryffindor was a friend to Harry, Harry and Hermione often helped him with homework and assignments.

Harry realized, that Neville’s problem with magic wasn’t his magic, but his confidence.

When he told Hermione this they both made a silent pact to start helping Neville become more confident.

Harry and Neville would often talk about different recipes they’ve cooked and swapped a few ideas, after Harry found out that the other liked to cook almost as much as he did. When he wanted to, rather than having the Dursley’s force him to.

Harry had introduced Neville to Fred and George, both understanding almost immediately that the older boy(Just by a day to Harry and Neville’s surprise when they found out each other’s birthdays) needed to relax more and started to befriend the timid boy.

Hermione and Neville soon got used to Harry being pulled away from them at random times of the day, what they did with Harry, they didn’t know, but whenever Harry came back he’d be grinning or smirking.

“Just what are you three doing?” An annoyed Hermione asked on Friday afternoon, while they were heading down to the Dungeons to their first Potion’s class.

“Nothing horrible, Hermione. I was just suggesting a few things for their… ‘Homework’.” Harry lied, smiling innocently at her, as she looked at him strangely.

They lined up behind the other Gryffindor’s in their year, and Ron could be heard complaining to Seamus from ahead.

“H-Hi guys.” Neville panted, the round-faced boy lining up behind Harry and Hermione.

“Hi Neville.” They both greeted the other boy.

“Excited for Potions?” Harry asked Neville curiously, “I honestly am. I think it’s going to be a bit like cooking, just follow the instructions and you’ll end up with something great!”

Neville smiled nervously and before he could say anything the door to the dugeon room opened and they all hurried inside.

Professor Snape, the Potions teacher, was sitting behind his desk, a sneer on his face as his students hurried in to take their spots.

Standing up, Snape started to walk in front of the class, sneering down at them all(But the Slytherins).

“There will be no silly wand waving or incantations in this class.” He started, his voice cold and drawling. “I suspect very few of you will learn to appreciate the art that is potion making...”

His black eyes fell on the trembling Neville before he started again, glancing around the room. “I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper on death…”

His eyes fell on Harry this time, and Snape froze for a moment. It was obvious to Snape that this was the Potter brat; he looked exactly like his father…

Except for his eyes…

 _‘Lily…’_ Snape’s expression turned soft for a moment before he sneered once again. “Harry Potter… Out latest, celebrity.” He hissed softly before barking.

“Potter! What would I get if I added powered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?”

Harry blinked in surprise, glancing around quickly, seeing that only Hermione seemed to understand what Snape was saying, figuring it was an older year question Harry answered a bit hesitantly, though confident in his answer. He had studied hard for this class, which he had been looking forward to so much.

“It makes a sleeping potion so strong that it is known as the Draught of Living Death, sir.” Harry answered, surprising his Potions teacher once again, even thought Snape didn’t show it as he asked the student his next question.

“Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?”

Harry glanced around again, seeing this time that a few people seemed to know what their Professor was talking about, Harry answered again confidently, less hesitant.

“I’d look in the stomach of a goat, Sir. I’ve read that it will also save you from most poisons.”

Snape raised a delicate eyebrow, so the brat had actually studied? Well then.

“What is the difference, Potter, between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?” He asked his final question.

Harry frowned, “It that a trick question, Sir? They’re the same plant, and they’re also known as Aconite.”

Snape sneered, “Trying to be a know-it-all as well as famous? Tut tut… I see that fame has gone to you heard, Potter.”

Harry flushed darkly as the Slytherins started laughing, along with a few of his classmates and Harry stuttered out.

“I-I’m s-sorry Sir… I-I didn’t m-mean to seem l-like a know-i-it-all… I-I was just l-looking forward t-to this class…”

Snape raised an eyebrow, once again hiding his shock as he looked at the Potter br-boy. Perhaps… Perhaps the boy wasn’t as much like his father as Snape had assumed.

“I seen then, Mr. Potter… Ten points to Gryffindor for answering correctly…” Snape grumbled, turning his attention back to the blackboard as he started snapping at them to start on their potions already.

By the end of the class Harry had earned Gryffindor a total of twenty-five points, shocking practically the whole school.

Whispers followed Harry, much to his annoyance, for the rest of the day as the students not only tried to get a good look at him, but started to bug him about how they could get points in potions too.

Though, the Slytherins were the only house who didn’t ask him this.

He used his knowledge of the school passageways that Fred and George had taught him, and with the help of a few ghosts, and Peeves, who was a shockingly good friend with the twins, though Harry guessed this was because of the fact that both of the twins loved mayhem almost as much as Peeves, and they had told Harry that they’d talk to the poltergeist about helping Harry as much as he could, as a few of their most brilliant pranks had come from suggestions from Harry over the summer, Harry nearly avoided everyone as he made his way down to the Great Hall for dinner.

Harry tried his best to shrink as much as he could, trying to blend in with the other Gryffindor students as dinner started, ignoring the looks that a few people gave him as he started to eat, but was relived as they didn’t bug him, turning back to their friends to chat.

His relief was short lived, however, as the twins decided to make an entrance, practically tackling Harry in his seat from both sides.

“How’s you do it?!” George gaped at down at Harry from the boy’s right side, as Harry, who had been taking a sip of his pumpkin juice as was spluttering, Fred gently pounding his back.

“Old Snape’s _never_ given a Gryffindor a single point as long as he’s been teaching here!” Fred continued, after Harry had stopped choking and was coughing slightly into a napkin.

“ _I don’t know_.” Harry said for what was probably the millionth time, looking up at the twins, half-desperate for someone to understand, half-annoyed at being bothered in the middle of dinner. “All I did was answer his questions and when he came over to inspect my potion he seemed surprised, but pleased and gave me fifteen more for making the potion correctly.” Harry shrugged. “I honestly don’t see what the big deal is.”

It was Fred and George’s turn to splutter, although they weren’t drinking anything like Harry had been.

“Don’t see-”

“What the big point is?-”

“-Blimey Harry, I thought we already told you-”

“-Snape doesn’t give any Gryffindor’s-”

“-House points-”

“-In fact, we don’t think-”

“-That he’s given any other house than Slytherin-”

“-Any house points at all!” The twins finished together before Fred spoke up again.

“You’re probably the first person _ever_ to even get a single point from Snape, who wasn’t in Slytherin!”

Harry shrugged, trying to ignore the twins as they continued to talk on, only falling silent when they realized that Harry wasn’t paying attention to them.

They started to bug him again though, as Harry tried to make his way back to the common room, eventually snapping at the twins. Telling them to leave him alone as he didn’t know how he did it, and that he was going to bed and not to bother him if they wanted to keep certain body parts.

He left the stunned twins in a huff, darting up the stairs and to his dormitory bedroom, thankfully finding it empty as he tossed his bag beside his bed and quickly changed, brushing his teeth before he crawled into bed and drew the hangings shut, not wanting to deal with his roommates or his homework, he’d get it done in the morning.

It wasn’t long before Harry started drifting off to sleep, no plans on apologizing to the twins yet…

Though he did feel guilty.

The last thought on his mind before he fell asleep was that he’d have to get his Transfiguration essay done first thing tomorrow.


	6. Draco Malfoy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter, otherwise Fred would be alive and well!

Saturday morning dawned bright and early, and much to Harry’s dislike, he once again awoke early, and found himself, a half-hour later after trying, unable to fall back asleep.

Grumbling under his breath, Harry got up and took his normal morning shower and dressed for the day, his heart leaping in happiness as he wondered what he and his twins would be planning for their first prank of the year.

They had discussed many different things to do, but nothing seemed… Well… Big enough.

Harry’s heart sank as he remembered that he and the twins weren’t on talking terms because of yesterday, and considered for a moment about forgiving them. Only for a moment though.

It hurt to think that they didn’t believe him when he had told them the truth about he not knowing what he had done to get points in Potions yesterday, all he did was brew his potion correctly and had answered Professor Snape’s questions.

Biting his lip to keep from crying at the pain he felt in his heart, Harry slipped through the Dormitory room, after grabbing his backpack and a few other necessary items for his Transfiguration Essay and the matches that he was supposed to be practicing on to change them into a match correctly, and headed down the stairs to the Common Room, happily finding it empty.

Curling up in one of the comfy chairs by the fireplace, he sat his bag down and pulled out his parchment, quill and ink bottle, deciding to start on the essay first and to do the practice after breakfast. Harry uncorked the bottle and dipped his Eagle feather quill in and started on his essay.

As the next few hours went by, Harry waved at Dean and Seamus, who were heading down to the Great Hall for breakfast, as he rolled up the dry Transfiguration Essay he had finished only fifteen minutes ago.

He was corking his ink bottle and was about to put it in his bag as Hermione popped up in front of him, startling Harry who nearly dropped his ink bottle.

“Good morning Harry.” She greeted him with a smile.

“’Morning ‘Mione.” He smiled back at her, carefully tucking his ink bottle into his bag.

“Have you got your homework done yet?” She asked, as Harry swung his bag over his shoulder and they started their way towards the portrait hole.

“Most of it, just need to do the practice part of Transfiguration, but other than that, I’ve got all of it done.” Harry smiled at Hermione as they climbed, with only a little difficulty, through the portrait hole, greeting the Fat Lady before heading down the hallways.

“We can do that after lunch, right?” Hermione asked, starting to talk quickly, Harry barely able to keep up.

“Because I was hoping to look through the library after breakfast, they’ve got so many different kinds of books; I can’t wait to read as many as I can!” Hermione gushed happily, jumping carefully past one of the traps of Hogwarts, a quicksand-spelled stair step.

“Er… I had plans of my own Hermione, but I’ll be happy to go with you some other time.” Harry apologized, smiling sadly at seeing the look of disappointment on Hermione’s face.

“But check out as many as you think that we’ll both like, for spells and stuff, and I’ll practice them with you.” Harry promised, which cheered up the young witch.

They continued to talk all the way until the Great Hall, which they soon became too busy eating to talk much.

Harry felt a sense of emptiness when he saw the twins enter the hall and watched as they sat far away from him at the table, looking down at his plate, he suddenly found that he wasn’t hungry anymore.

Standing up, pushing away his plate and goblet of pumpkin juice, Harry muttered to Hermione. “I’ll see you later then.” Before he walked quickly out of the Great Hall and into the Entrance Hall, feeling a lump in his throat.

Maybe he should forgive the twins, after all, they were just curious, he hadn’t needed to have snapped at them like that, but something in the back of his head nagged Harry.

“They didn’t have to bug you. They could’ve just accepted your answer as the truth, as it was.” A small voice told him as Harry made his way towards the double doors and out onto the grounds.

Harry stretched as he walked across the grounds, heading towards the lake he sat down on the edge of it, watching the Giant Squid swimming nearby. Hugging his legs to his chest, he found the absence of any of his friends, especially Fred and George, making him have an empty feeling inside.

He stayed out there for a few hours, laying on his back, listening to the lazy winds blow and ruffle the grass and his hair. Inhaling the smell of grass and of the flowers nearby, the smell of the water from the lake.

Harry only got up after his stomach started to demand him to eat something.

Dusting off his robes Harry made his way back up the lawn and towards the castle.

He met Hermione at the Gryffindor table and sat down next to her, glancing around subconsciously for the Weasley twins, only to be disappointed at not seeing them.

While he ate Harry chatted to Hermione, they were joined not too long after by Neville. Harry kept glancing at the doors, his heart racing slightly at seeing Fred and George walk in.

He ignored Hermione and Neville’s conversation, favoring watching the twins make their way over to the table and sit down, once again far away from him, Lee Jordan joining them moments later.

Harry’s heart fell when they didn’t even spare him a glance.

He poked unhappily at the rest of his lunch, not taking another bite. Harry ignored the concerned looks he was getting from Hermione and Neville as he stood up and made his way out of the Great Hall and back towards Gryffindor Tower.

He mumbled the password to the Fat Lady and entered the tower.

Harry spent the next hour practicing his Transfiguration homework, turning matches into needles. By the time the hour was up he was able to get it right on the first try.

He ignored Hermione and Neville as they tried to talk to him for the next few hours, choosing instead to curl up in one of the best chairs and read his Potions book.

It was an hour later that he was pulled away from his book by excited murmurings from the other first years.

“What’s going on?” Harry asked, marking his page and made his way over to the board in the common toom.

“Flying lessons on Monday.” Seamus grinned, turning to face Harry “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Neville seemed to whimper while Hermione bit her bottom lip nervously, and Harry felt his stomach drop.

Just what he needed, flying lessons, to make himself look like a fool on a broomstick.

The weekend went by quickly, Fred and George still didn’t talk to him and continued to ignore him, leaving Harry feeling miserable.

On Monday morning he did his usual morning routine and headed down to breakfast, not feeling like eating anything again.

Harry smiled slightly at seeing Hermione silently slipping food onto his plate as he ate a little, starting to feel nervous about the flying lesson that would take place only a few hours later.

He listened to Hermione, as they made their way down to the Quidditch Pitch for their first flying lesson, Neville was hanging onto Hermione’s every word as well.

Harry barely suppressed a groan at seeing that their first lesson was with the Slytherins.

Madam Hooch, a woman who had graying hair and sharp, golden piercing eyes, was the Quidditch Coach and flying Instructor wasn’t there yet, so the students were talking to each other.

As Harry looked around, waiting for the teacher, the pale, platinum blonde boy he had met in Madam Malkin’s shop made his way over to Harry.

“So you’re the famous Harry Potter.” The Slytherin boy drawled, making Harry look over at him.

“Yeah, guess so.” Harry mumbled.

The boy held out his hand for Harry to shake. “I’m Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.” The boy introduced himself.

Harry half-heartedly shook the boy’s hand. “You already know mine.” He told Draco, dropping the hand.

“What kind of name is Draco?” Harry bit back the urge to roll his eyes, hearing Fred and George’s younger brother snicker.

Draco’s slight smile that had appeared when Harry shook his hand disappeared to be replaced with a scowl as he looked over the red-haired boy.

“You must be one of the Weasleys… Red hair, hand-me-down robe, obviously in poor shape… Blood traitors.” Draco spat before turning to Harry. “You can do much better than him, Potter.”

Harry pressed his lips together tightly, “I’m not really friends with Ron, but I don’t hate him… I’m best friends with his elder twin brothers, so you might want to watch out, a few of their more… Famous and better pranks were ideas I gave them during the summer.”

He nearly laughed at the look on Draco’s face, turning to look at a surprised Ron and flashed him a smile, which Ron returned hesitantly.

Madam Hooch showed up only minutes later, her piercing gaze looking over them all as she started to explain to them how to Fly.

Harry was surprised when he held his hand over the broom and said “Up.” And the broom leapt to his hand instantly, unlike Neville, whose broom did move slightly, and Hermione, whose broom didn’t move at all.

Madam Hooch showed them how to mount their brooms and corrected Ron and Draco on how to hold the broom handle properly.

“On my whistle, you’ll kick off from the ground, hover for a minute before leaning forward and gently touch back down, am I clear? One, two, three-”

But before the whistle even touched Madam Hooch’s lips, Neville had accidentally, in his nervousness, kicked off from the ground and started to raise high in the air, looking petrified as he tried to go back down, but the broom kept going higher, and Neville accidentally slipped off.

The girls, and most of the boys, screamed as Neville hit the ground with a CRACK.

Madam Hooch ran over to the boy, hearing him sob. “Dear oh dear… Broken wrist, nothing more… Let’s get you to the Nurse, Longbottom.” Madam Hooch helped Neville off the ground and looked around at the rest of the class. “If I see one person in the air when I get back, you’ll find yourself expelled and out of this school before you can say Quidditch.”

With that, Madam Hooch led Neville back towards the castle.

Harry snapped his head around when he heard someone laughing, nearly letting out a growl at seeing that it was Draco.

“Did you see the look on Longbottom’s face?” Draco snickered, picking up something from the ground, Harry instantly recognizing the ball in his hand as the Remembrall that Neville’s grandmother had sent him just that morning in the mail.

“Give it here, Malfoy.” Harry said quietly, frowning at the Malfoy.

“Sorry, don’t think I will.” Draco sneered, smirking suddenly as he mounted his broom and kicked off. “If you want it, Potter, come and get it.” He grinned nastily before flying higher and off.

“Harry don’t!” Hermione cried out as Harry mounted his own broom and kicked off, going after Draco.

With the wind whistling in his ears, Harry smiled. This was great, it felt like this was everything that Harry ever needed. He was made for this.

He did a few loops on his broom with a laugh before chasing

“Give it back or I’ll knock you off your broom!” Harry yelled at Draco, nearly smirking at seeing the shocked look on Draco’s face.

Draco suddenly sneered, “Have it back, if you can catch it!” With that, he threw the Remembrall as hard and far as he could, the ball soaring quickly past Harry, just missing his left ear.

Harry turned quickly on his broom and raced after the ball, wind whistling in his ears and he followed the ball towards the ground, quickly catching up to the ball, almost as quickly catching up to the ground.

He was sixty feet away, fifty, forty, thirty… He was so close to the ball now, twenty, ten, five.

Ignoring the screams of his teammates he caught the ball in his hand and pulled up quick enough to avoid crashing into the ground, the broom slowing down enough for him to let go and Harry landed gently onto the grass, a grin on his face as he looked at the ball in his hand.

He heard the cheers of his year-mates as they rushed towards him, “Great catch Harry!”

“That was amazing Potter!”

“How in Merlin’s name did you do that?!”

Harry shrugged slightly as a shocked Hermione pulled him to his feet.

The cheers and yells suddenly stopped as a yell of “HARRY POTTER!” Was heard.

“You’re in trouble now.” Hermione whispered to Harry, paling as their Transfiguration teacher, Professor McGonagall made her way over to Harry.

“I’ve never seen… How… Potter, come with me.” Professor McGonagall said sternly, Harry suddenly having a sense of dread as he followed the Professor away from the Quidditch pitch and towards the castle, several things running through his head.

What if he was expelled, what was he supposed to do? He couldn’t go back to the Dursleys.

What if… What if he never saw Fred and George ever again? Without apologizing for snapping at them.

He followed McGonagall and she lead him to where he knew that Professor Binns was teaching.

Harry frowned in curiosity as Professor McGonagall pulled one of the students, a teenager named Oliver Wood, who was looking at Harry curiously.

Professor McGonagall led them to her office and waved a hand at the chairs in front of her desk.

“I know you both must be wondering why you’re here…” She started, a smile starting to stretch across her face. “Wood, I’ve found you a Seeker.”

With that Oliver’s face light up as he looked at Harry, jumping up he pulled Harry to his feet and started to circle around him.

“He’s got the right build… Small, speedy…” Oliver frowned and looked at McGonagall. “Why a first year? Not that I’m complaining…”

Professor McGonagall pointed at the Remembrall in Harry’s hand. “Caught that after a sixty foot dive, I’ve never seen someone do something so risky and come out without a single scratch, Charlie Weasley couldn’t have done it.”

Oliver looked like Christmas had come early.

“We’ll have to get him a good broom of course.” He told the Professor before looking down at Harry.

“Hey Potter, ever see a game of Quidditch?” 

* * *

Harry was still in shock as he made his way back to his Common Room that night.

He had told Hermione and Neville, who he and Hermione had stopped by to see in the Hospital Wing, Harry giving Neville his Remembrall back, and they both were just as surprised as he was, but Neville was pleased too while Hermione seemed hesitant to celebrate such a thing.

Oliver had told Harry that he was to show up at the Quidditch Pitch tomorrow afternoon, after all the classes were out, to do some pratice before Harry officially joined the Team practices.

As Harry made his was towards the stairs to the boy’s dormitories he was ambushed by Fred and George, both who were beaming.

“Congrats Harry!-” Fred beamed down at Harry, ruffling the eleven year-old’s hair affectionately, causing Harry’s hair to become messier than usual.

“Wood’s just told us-” George continued, beaming down at Harry as well.

“It’s going to be awesome to play with you. But don’t tell anyone else yet, Wood wants to keep you a secret.” The twins finished together.

Harry smiled slightly and nodded, turning away from the twins to head up to his dormitory when Fred and George hugged him tightly from behind. “We’re sorry Harry.” They coursed at the same time, surprising Harry, who tilted his head upwards to look up at the twins.

“We shouldn’t have-” Fred started.

“-Bothered you about Snape-” George continued.

“-And we should’ve believed you-”

“-When you told us that you had no idea-”

“-Why he’d give only you points.” They finished together, looking down at Harry in shame, letting go of the dark-haired boy.

Harry stared up at them in shock for a moment before shaking his head slightly to clear it. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you two… I’m sorry.” Harry apologized, turning around he hugged both twins the best he could.

They smiled slightly. “We’re all at fault, I suppose.” Fred said, smiling sheepishly as he and George hugged Harry back gently.

Harry nodded in agreement, relaxing for a moment before he pulled away.

“Does this mean we’re friends again?” He asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked at the two red-heads.

They both grinned and nodded.

“Great.” Harry pretended to groan, suppressing a smile, making Fred and George laugh.

“Night then!” Harry grinned at them before turning back to the staircase he happily made his way up to his dormitory and sat his bag on his trunk before changing into his pajamas and crawled into his four-poster bed, falling asleep only minutes later with the grin still on his face.


	7. The First Prank

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not owwwwnn! Sadly...

Two weeks passed without incident, and Harry and the twins were as close as ever, and as Monday morning dawned bright as early, Harry slipped out of bed for his morning ritual of taking a shower before anyone else, before settling himself down in one of the comfortable chairs by the fire in the Common Room to do his homework until the twins came down and they would go to breakfast.

But not today.

Grinning, Harry made his way out of the Common Room, his bag over his shoulder as he made his way down the halls until he walked into an empty classroom that no one had used in years, and hurried over to where a cauldron stood.

Pouring a few ingredients into the cauldron, Harry stirred the potion, smirking to himself.

Over the last few weeks, Fred and George had included Harry in their pranks, and they hadn’t gotten caught yet, but today. Today he was going to do his first prank at Hogwarts that he would do by himself, and he had the perfect plan.

Bottling the potion after it was done; Harry quickly cleaned the cauldron out and placed it back into the storage room in the class room.

Harry smirked to himself as he made his way quickly, but quietly, down the hallways and towards the Entrance Hall, running into a few students who waved at him as he walked. Ignoring the taunts from a few Slytherins, Harry made his way into the Entrance Hall, pleased to see that neither Fred or George were there yet, and looked around before sneaking down another hallway nearby, taking the stairs in the hallway down and passed the Hufflepuff’s common room and he turned into another hallway.

Grinning widely, Harry made his way over to a portrait of a bowl of fruit and tickled the pear, which giggled and Harry stepped aside and the portrait swung open to reveal the Hogwart’s Kitchens.

Harry smiled as he was greeted by several small creatures with rather large eyes, all wearing a simple uniform, and long ears and fingers.

“Excuse me, Twinkle?” Harry called out to a female House Elf and who was in charge of the Kitchens.

“Yes Master Harry? What can Twinkle do for you?” The elf squeaked excitedly, her large brown eyes looking up at him as a large smile threatened to spilt the elf’s face in half.

“Could you possibly put these into the food for breakfast? It’s nothing harmful, just a hair color changing potion. I’ve got one for each house and one for the staff table, I thought it would be pretty funny.” Harry said, pulling five vials out of his pocket.

Twinkle nodded happily, letting out a quiet, cheerful squeak as she took the vials.

“I’ve labeled the vials for which table.” Harry told the House Elf, who nodded.

“Twinkle will do it Sir!” The elf said cheerfully.

“Thank you, Twinkle.” Harry smiled at the House Elf. “While I’m here… Is there any chance I can get breakfast? I’d rather have my own prank played on me, you know.”

Twinkle nodded and disappeared into the mass of House Elves as several came over with plates of different foods for Harry to eat.

A half-hour later, and a stomach fuller, Harry made his way up the passages and into the Great Hall, taking his place between the half-asleep Fred, and the almost-asleep George.

“Morning.” Harry greeted them, pulling an essay out of his bag to work on while Fred grunted his reply and George nodded only slightly while Lee Jordan made his way over to the two third-years and the first-year.

“Good morning Harry, Fred, George.” Lee greeted, taking a spot across from the three.

“Good morning Lee.” Harry looked up from his essay as food started to appear on plates all around the hall. Turning his attention back to his essay, Harry grin from behind the long parchment as the students and teacher’s hair started to change color as they ate.

Barely stifling giggles, Harry glanced up again as several people started to cry out in shock.

The Slytherins and Gryffindors the most.

Quite a few people started laughing.

The Ravenclaws were a mess of black and yellow hair, while the Hufflepuffs had bronze and blue. The Slytherins had red and gold, and the Gryffindors, Hermione, Neville, Ron, Seamus, Dean, Lee, Fred and George included, all were a mess of silver and dark green.

The Teacher’s hair were several different colors. Professor Sprout was admiring her earthy brown while Professor Snape looked murderous about his bright purple hair.

Dumbledore’s eyes were twinkling as he conjured up a hand-mirror to inspect his own baby-blue hair and beard.

After the cries of shock, and some outrage, Professor Dumbledore stood up, smiling. “I imagine, that you’re all shocked about this color change… I can only assume that it was a hair color changing potion that has pranked us all. And, if I am correct, it’ll wear off in a few hours.”

Cries of relief were heard from every table.

“And I must say, that this is a rather amusing prank, and very well done so… Ten points will be awarded to whichever house has done this.” Dumbledore smiled as several people, Harry included, jumped up and abandoned their breakfasts to rush out to the Entrance Hall to look at the House Hourglasses that held the jewels that counted points for each house.

“It was Gryffindor!” A seventh year from Hufflepuff cried out, pushing up her glasses as she yelled over the noise. “Gryffindor did it!”

“Of course.” A few of the Slytherins sneered, their eyes looking over at the Weasley twins, while Fred and George looked dumbstruck.

“It wasn’t us!” Fred gaped.

“We didn’t have anything to do with this…” George echoed.

“But whoever did this-”

“Is absolutely brillitant!” They cried together, looking around the group of Gryffindors, all looking puzzled, while Harry had vanished behind his essay again, re-reading it, having finished it moments before Dumbledore announced the ten points.

The whole of the school wouldn’t stop talking about it over the next few days, several trying to figure who had done it.

Fred and George were searching high and low for the culprit, wanting to ‘recruit’ him, as they told Harry, that first night. Harry merely smirked from behind his homework, if only they knew that the person they were looking for was sitting next to them.

Harry continued to enjoy the amusement of seeing Fred and George run around for a few days more before he pulled them aside during a break and told them that it was he who did it.

“You’re joking.” Fred smacked his forehead, looking over at his twin whose jaw had dropped.

“How didn’t we notice… You come up with pranks that nearly top ours-” George moaned.

“-Little Harrikins.” The twins sniffed.

“We are so proud of you!” They cried together, throwing their arms onto the eleven year-old.

“You know Gred, this ought to be the right prank, for us to show him that.” George looked over at Fred, who nodded.

“I agree, Forge.”

“What are you two talking about?” Harry asked curiously, as Fred fished a battered, old looking piece of parchment.

“This Harry, is the reason of our success.” Fred started.

“You see, when we were young and innocent in our first year here.” George continued, ignoring Harry’s snort of disbelief.

“We got caught dropping dungbombs by Filtch.”

“And we were hauled off to his office with the usual threats of.”

“Being hung in the dungeons from our toes.”

“Disembowelment.”

“Etcetera."

“We saw a drawer marked extremely dangerous. And I set off another dungbomb while Gred fished his hand in and.”

“I pulled out this!”

“Just, what is this?” Harry asked, taking the parchment from Fred, who pulled his wand out of his pocket and tapped the parchment, saying.

“I solemnly swear I am up to no good.”

And before Harry’s eyes, ink started to spread across the parchment, and he read.

‘Messer’s Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, are proud to present, the Marauder’s Map.’

“The Marauder’s map?” Harry asked, opening the parchment, George talking from his right.

“It has every secret entrance in and out of Hogwarts on here, along with secret passageways and it shows where everyone is-”

“-Every moment-”

“-Of every day. See?” George pointed at the three dots that stood in the classroom named ‘Fred Weasley, George Weasley, and Harry Potter.’

“That so…” Harry’s voice trailed off as he tried to think of any words that could express his awe.

“Awesome?”

“Great?”

“Wonderful?” The twins questioned, grinning down at Harry, who nodded.

“We’re sharing this with you, so take good care of it, alright Harry?” Fred asked.

Harry’s head snapped up and he stared at the twins in shock before nodding again, his emerald green eyes wide.

“To wipe it, by the way, just tap it with your want and say ‘Mischief Managed.’ And the map with clear itself.” George told him, tapping the map as he did so, the map clearing as he had told Harry it would.

“Otherwise anyone could read it.” The twins said at the same time.

Harry opened and closed his mouth, trying to find words to express just how he felt at being shared this secret, when he doubted that Lee Jordan knew about it.

The twins merely smiled down at him, seeming to know just what he wanted to say as they ruffled his already messy hair.


	8. Quidditch Match #1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once more, I do not own Harry Potter! Sheesh.

Weeks passed and as they did Harry found himself getting busier by the day. Not only were there Quidditch practices five times a week, but on top of his classes - which were starting to get harder as they moved onto slightly more difficult spells and wand movements, plants and potions - and his weekly harmless pranks with the twins, and his independent studies he was doing in the library during his breaks when he could spare the time. He was finding himself starting to love the fact that Hermione, Neville and the twins were his friends, or best friends in the twins’ case.

Hermione and Neville were always willing to help him go through the library books, to help practice spells and read through each other’s essays and such. Neville helped Harry with Herbology, and Hermione helped him through History of Magic. Harry’s Charms, Transfiguration, Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts grades were at the top by himself. So, in thanks for helping him with his weaker subjects, Harry helped Neville with Potions and Charms, and Hermione with Defense Against the Dark Arts, the only class that she and Harry weren’t tied in for top grades as Harry was better at DADA than she was, as for some odd reason she struggled with it.

The twins, however, Harry was especially glad to have, to help take the stress off of him as the Quidditch season started, and Gryffindor’s first game was coming up soon. The pranks that he pulled with Fred and George helped Harry to relax more, and Harry often found himself hiding under the covers late at night with a soft Lumos having been cast, his wand pointing at the Marauder’s Map as he looked it over, something about the Map making him feel… More comfortable and cared for, something about the Map made him have a homey feel in his heart, to Harry’s confusion, and something about the Map seemed familiar... Though Harry couldn’t figure out why.

Though, before he knew it, it was the morning of the Gryffindor’s first Quidditch match, and Harry was feeling queasy as he made his way slowly down to the Great Hall, the twins already there and waiting for him.

“Hey, Harry.” Fred and George greeted him at the same time as he took his usual place between them, and they both clasped a comforting hand to his shoulders.

Harry smiled weakly at them, poking a piece of sausage that Fred had put on his plate with his fork.

“It’s alright to be nervous, we were during our first match, nearly hit a couple of the Chasers by mistake… Not our team’s though.” George half-joked, smiling a bit wider when Harry weakly chuckled, before frowning slightly as he watched Harry weakly poke at his toast.

“Go on Harry, eat a bit of toast, you’ll need your strength today. Don’t worry about the match so much, alright?” Fred said gently, ruffling Harry’s hair and making the smaller boy squawk unhappily. “If we win, we win, and if we don’t, we don’t. Though, with our team this year, and especially with you, I’m sure we’ll win.” George nodded in agreement.

“Thanks Fred… George…” Harry smiled a bit weakly as he picked up a piece of toast and started to nibble on it, making the twins relax at seeing the really-skinny boy eat.

“No problem-”

“No problem at all-”

“Harrykins.” The twins finished together, making Harry roll his eyes good naturedly.

It wasn’t long after breakfast that Oliver made the Gryffindor Quidditch Team march down to the training rooms and started on a very, very long speech that nearly made Harry fall asleep, his eyelids drooping as he leaned against George.

After the prep-talk they walked over to the doors that would lead out to the Quidditch stadium and Harry gripped his broom tightly in his hands, nearly jumping as the twins both put a hand reassuringly on his shoulders and he glanced back at them to give them a weak smile before the doors opened and Harry mounted his broom before kicking off the ground.

His sleepiness left him along with his nervousness as he flew into the air, the wind whistling in his ears as he laughed happily, doing a few loops on his broom to work off a bit of the excess energy that Harry was feeling.

Harry heard the twins laughing lightly at him as the players took their places on the field and he heard the blowing on the whistle as the game started.

He zoomed around the pitch, his eyes darting around, looking for the Snitch as the other Seeker did too. Whenever the Gryffindor team scored, he would do a loop to let off the extra energy he was feeling as adrenaline pumped through his veins and he was circling the pitch for the fourth time when it happened.

Green eyes widened slightly in surprise as his fingers tightened their hold on his broom as the broom started to try to buck him off. His knuckles were white as Harry held on for his dear life, the game continuing as no one noticed that the new Gryffindor Seeker’s broom was trying to get rid of its rider.

No one but Hermione, Neville and Hagrid, that was.

When Harry had finally been noticed by the rest of the school, the twins immediately took a spot under Harry - circling under him like hungry sharks would circle their meal - waiting for him to fall so that one of them, or both, could catch him before he would it the ground.

Slytherin scored five times during the time that Harry’s broom was trying to buck him off, before it suddenly stopped and Harry – who had been only hanging on by one hand – pulled himself up onto the broom and zoomed towards the ground - the pale faced Weasley twins following him – a hand clapped to his mouth as his broom slowed down towards the ground and Harry collapsed onto all fours and burped up the golden Snitch.

The game ended in much confusion.

The Slytherin Quidditch Team Captian, Flint, could still be heard hours later yelling angrily, “He didn’t catch it, he nearly swallowed it!”

But that didn’t help, Harry hadn’t broken any rules, and Gryffindor had won. Though, Harry wouldn’t know of Flint’s displeasure until the next day, as he was down at Hagrid’s cabin with Hermione, Neville and the Twins.

As Harry sipped his rather strong tea, he and the Twins listened to Hermione and Neville telling them on how it was Snape who was cursing Harry’s broom.

“I’ve read about curses, you’ve got to keep eye contact and Snape wasn’t blinking.” The girl said smartly, “So, I set his robes on fire, without him knowing it was me, and the curse stopped.”

“You set Snape on fire?” The Twins roared with laughter and Harry frowned slightly, he too, had read that book on curses.

“Counter curses need eye contact too.” He pointed out, but sighed when he was ignored and turned his attention instead to the copy of the Daily Profit on Hagrid’s table.

Harry’s eyebrows rose to his hairline as he took in the title of the front page, and carefully picking it up, he read the article as Hermione, Neville and the Twins talked eagerly about the match and classes.

It wasn’t until later, when nearly everyone in Gryffindor tower had gone to bed, when Harry was able to pull the Twins aside and told them about the fact that it was possible that Snape was uttering a counter curse, and pointed out that Hermione had knocked someone over – though the girl couldn’t remember who it was – and the Twins shared a look before pursing their lips as they listened to Harry’s facts.

He also told them about the break in at Gringotts on his birthday, the day he was there. The Twins were horrified to hear about the breakout, saying that their older brother Bill worked at the wizard bank, in Egypt, and how many curses and stuff you had to get through to even open the door to an old vault.

Harry told them about the package that Hagrid had gotten, and they pondered over that fact for a little while, wondering if it what the thief was after was the package or not.

It was nearly one in the morning before they, the twins and Harry, decided to put off their thoughts until the next morning when they’d be more awake. They wished each other goodnight, shared a round of hugs before heading to bed.


End file.
